AGP Executive Report

Ebola in Congo: A fast-moving outbreak now linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain is spreading from mining zones in Ituri, with deforestation pushing miners into closer contact with wildlife that can carry the virus—raising fears as no approved vaccines or targeted treatments exist for this strain. Public health pressure: A Kentucky nonprofit, WaterStep, is supporting Congo’s response with safe-water solutions and sanitation-focused training, warning that delays could allow wider spread. Local risk management: Health authorities in Congo are racing to expand testing and containment as officials assess the outbreak’s true scale, while Ebola scare cases abroad keep highlighting how quickly travel can trigger alerts. AI in medicine: UK researchers say the world’s first AI-designed vaccine has entered human trials, aiming to speed up responses to emerging viral threats. Energy & tech investment: The African Energy Chamber is set to spotlight Africa’s oil and gas opportunities for Israeli stakeholders, with Republic of Congo named among growth drivers. Digital finance regulation: Banking supervisors from across Africa are meeting in Yaoundé to tackle risks from financial innovation and digital services. Mobility policy: The Republic of Congo announced visa-free entry for African passport holders from Jan 1, 2027, boosting AfCFTA-style movement. Research integrity: US charges allege NIH scientists tried to smuggle deactivated mpox-related materials into the country after arriving from Brazzaville, underscoring the need for tighter biosafety and cross-border rules.

Public Health Alarm: Ebola-related alerts keep spreading beyond Africa, with India reporting suspected cases in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan after travelers from high-risk countries were isolated for testing. Congo Outbreak Watch: In the Republic of Congo, officials are widening Ebola testing as the epidemic’s scale becomes clearer, while local response capacity is being tested. Biosecurity & Research: U.S. prosecutors charged two NIH scientists over alleged smuggling of deactivated mpox/monkeypox vials from the Republic of Congo into the U.S., after they were stopped at Detroit airport with undeclared samples. Energy & Investment: The African Energy Chamber is pushing “Unlocking African Energy Opportunities,” highlighting new oil and gas investment momentum that includes Republic of Congo producers. Digital Finance & Regulation: Banking supervisors from across Africa met in Yaoundé to discuss risks from financial innovation and digital services, including for Congo and CEMAC. Mobility Policy: The Republic of Congo announced visa-free entry for African passport holders starting Jan 1, 2027, aiming to boost AfCFTA trade and travel.

Mpox/Monkeypox Case: U.S. prosecutors charged two NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratory researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, alleging they smuggled 113 undeclared vials (including deactivated mpox) into the country after traveling from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, and lied to customs officers at Detroit Metro. Public Health & Water Tech: A Kentucky nonprofit, WaterStep, is supporting Congo’s Ebola response with safe-water solutions and training, as the outbreak is driven by a strain with no approved vaccines. Digital Finance Regulation: Banking regulators from across Africa met in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to discuss how supervision should adapt to digital financial services and fast-changing prudential risks. Visa & Integration: The Republic of Congo announced visa-free entry for all African passport holders starting Jan 1, 2027, adding momentum to AfCFTA travel and trade integration. Biodiversity Discovery: Angola’s Lisima plateau survey uncovered dozens of previously unknown species, including eight new dragonfly species, feeding major river systems across the region. Development Finance: The AfDB warned Africa faces a $1.3T+ annual development financing gap, urging reforms to unlock more domestic revenue and investment efficiency.

Ebola Response Tech & Water: A Kentucky nonprofit, WaterStep, is supporting Congo’s Ebola fight with safe water solutions and local training, as the outbreak is driven by a strain with no approved vaccines and sanitation remains key. Biosafety & Research Oversight: U.S. prosecutors charged two NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratory scientists with allegedly smuggling 113 mpox-related vials from Brazzaville into the U.S. and lying to customs—raising fresh questions about cross-border lab controls. Biodiversity Discovery in Angola: An expedition to Angola’s Lisima plateau uncovered dozens of new species, including a fluorescent blue crab spider and multiple new dragonflies and grasshoppers, adding baseline data for conservation across river systems that feed the Congo Basin. Digital Finance & Inclusion: MTN Mobile Money Uganda appointed Phrase Lubega managing director, aiming to expand secure digital financial services. Regional Integration: The Republic of Congo announced visa-free entry for all African passport holders starting Jan 1, 2027, joining a wider push to ease travel under AfCFTA. Funding Gap for Development: The AfDB warned Africa faces a $1.3T annual development financing gap, urging reforms to unlock more domestic and public investment.

Ebola Response Tech in Congo: Kentucky nonprofit WaterStep is using its safe-water tech and training to support Congo’s Ebola fight, as the outbreak is driven by a strain with no approved vaccines—making sanitation and prevention tools like bleach sanitization and handwashing stations especially urgent. Biosafety & Cross-Border Risk: U.S. prosecutors charged NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratory scientists Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe with allegedly smuggling 113 vials of deactivated mpox-related material into the U.S. via Detroit Metro Airport after travel from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, and allegedly lying about what was in their case. Biodiversity Discovery in Angola: An expedition to Angola’s Lisima plateau (linked to Congo River basin systems) recorded over 1,000 insect species and hundreds of plant samples, including eight new dragonfly species and other newly documented wildlife—useful baseline data for future conservation. Funding Gap Watch: The AfDB warns Africa faces a $1.3T annual development financing gap for the SDGs, urging reforms to unlock far more domestic and public investment capacity.

Mpox/Monkeypox Security: Two NIH researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged in the US after being stopped at Detroit Metro Airport with 113 vials allegedly hidden in a case from the Republic of Congo; prosecutors say they lied about what they carried and failed to declare or get permission, with tests finding deactivated mpox in 17 vials. Biosafety & Trust: The case highlights how strict lab work and travel rules collide with enforcement when paperwork and declarations don’t match. Angola Biodiversity Push: An expedition to Angola’s Lisima plateau reported over 1,000 insect species and new finds including eight dragonfly species, three grasshopper species, and dozens of butterflies and moths—data meant to guide future conservation. Energy Policy Debate: The African Energy Chamber urged “energy addition” via more oil and gas exploration, arguing energy poverty and lack of reliable electricity remain major barriers. AI Skills Anxiety: A workplace survey claims many employees overstate their AI abilities, while most expect automation pressure to grow soon.

Biosafety & Law Enforcement: Two NIH-linked researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged in a U.S. federal case after arriving at Detroit Metro from the Republic of Congo with 113 vials allegedly hidden in a black case; prosecutors say they lied to customs and that tests found deactivated mpox in 17 vials, plus other materials. Biodiversity in Central Africa: Angola’s Lisima plateau expedition (Cassai Life Atlas) recorded over 1,000 insect species and 320 plant samples, including eight dragonfly species new to science and other rare finds, mapping ecosystems that feed the Congo, Okavango, Zambezi and Cuanza river basins. Climate & Energy: Reporting highlights how climate change is drying up water sources that power hydropower, raising pressure on electricity generation where reservoirs are already under strain. AI & Work: A workplace survey claims many employees exaggerate their AI skills, while most expect automation to reshape jobs soon.

Mpox/Monkeypox Smuggling Case: Two NIH-linked researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged after allegedly bringing 113 vials of deactivated mpox from the Republic of Congo into the U.S. via Detroit Metro and lying about the contents during screening. Ebola in Congo Basin: Congo’s Ebola outbreak is widening across 22 affected health zones in the east, with officials racing to clear testing backlogs and reclassify suspected cases amid conflict and displacement. Congo Basin Science: The Science Panel for the Congo Basin presented its 2025 Congo Basin Assessment Report in Brazzaville, aiming to guide policy with a large, independent scientific review. Wildlife Tech: Camera-trap footage from Lésio-Louna Reserve in the Republic of Congo shows a one-armed western lowland gorilla giving birth in the wild, highlighting how monitoring tech supports conservation. Local Tech & Innovation: A spotlight on women-led STEM and digital entrepreneurship in West Africa, including work connected to the Ivorian tech ecosystem. Robotics & Sensing: Ouster and FieldAI announced a collaboration using Rev8 digital lidar to help robots perceive and navigate complex environments. Digital Governance & Data: A debate piece argues Africa’s real challenge in AI-era health data isn’t access alone—it’s governance and enforcement. Sports Tech Culture: A World Cup traveler story and a separate local community sports/culture item both show how tech and global networks shape everyday life.

Ebola in Congo: Congo widened Ebola testing and contact tracing in conflict-hit eastern provinces after lab results showed about 260 positives, with suspected cases now crossing 1,000 and deaths still under investigation—health teams are also clearing testing backlogs and reclassifying cases to better estimate the outbreak’s real scale. Congo Basin science: The Science Panel for the Congo Basin presented its 2025 assessment report in Brazzaville, aiming to close long-standing research and investment gaps and guide evidence-based action for the basin’s ecosystems and resilience. Wildlife tech in action: Camera traps in the Lésio-Louna Reserve captured a one-armed western lowland gorilla, Lengui, cradling a newborn—researchers say the birth was only discovered after recent footage reviews. Autonomous perception partnership: Ouster and FieldAI announced a collaboration using Ouster’s Rev8 digital lidar to help robots perceive and navigate complex, unstructured environments. Digital governance debate: A piece from Brazzaville’s AfDB meetings highlights why health-data sovereignty in Africa is less about “openness vs isolation” and more about governance, enforcement, trust, and infrastructure. Local finance & inclusion: Awards at the AfDB meetings spotlight Kenya’s SME financing and M-Pesa-linked investing via Ziidi Trader, pointing to a broader push for deeper financial inclusion beyond payments.

Ebola Watch (Congo): Congo has widened Ebola testing and surveillance across eastern provinces after lab results flagged about 260 positive samples, while suspected cases have crossed 1,000 and deaths remain under investigation—health teams are also clearing backlogs and reclassifying hundreds of alerts amid conflict-hit access challenges. Congo Basin Science: The Science Panel for the Congo Basin presented its 2025 assessment report in Brazzaville, aiming to close long-standing research and investment gaps across the region’s ecosystems and resilience. Wildlife Tech (Camera Traps): Conservationists using motion-sensor camera traps documented a one-armed western lowland gorilla in the Republic of Congo successfully raising a newborn in the Lésio-Louna Reserve, highlighting how field tech can reveal rare breeding outcomes. Digital Mobility (Ghana, Africa-wide): Ghana launched an e-Visa platform and removed visa fees for African passport holders, a move that could speed tourism and trade flows across the continent. Finance & Trade Tech: The AfDB’s Trade Finance Report says Africa’s trade finance gap narrowed post-Covid, with digitalization and development finance institutions playing a bigger role in keeping deals moving.

Congo Basin Science: The Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB) unveiled its 2025 Congo Basin Assessment Report in Brazzaville, aiming to close long-standing research and investment gaps across the region’s ecosystems. Ebola Watch: Congo widened Ebola testing and diagnostics in conflict-hit eastern provinces, with the outbreak footprint now reported across 22 health zones and officials working through backlogs and case reclassification to clarify the true scale. Wildlife Conservation: Camera-trap footage from the Lésio-Louna Reserve shows Lengui, a one-armed western lowland gorilla, cradling a newborn in the wild—an extraordinary conservation milestone after years of rescue and rehabilitation. Digital Entrepreneurship: The UN Economic Commission for Africa launched a regional project to foster digital entrepreneurship among women in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo, targeting over 1,000 women with training and policy support. Energy for Jobs: At AfDB meetings, leaders including Congo’s Denis Sassou Nguesso pushed for electricity access that powers livelihoods, not just homes, as Mission 300 momentum grows.

Ebola Watch (Congo): Congo widened Ebola testing across its conflict-hit east, with health authorities reporting about 260 positive samples and pushing diagnostics, contact tracing, and community screening as suspected cases passed 1,000 and hundreds of deaths remain under investigation. Public Health & Borders: The outbreak’s footprint has expanded to 22 affected health zones across three eastern provinces, while linked cases in Uganda raise concerns about cross-border spread. Water & Governance: A UN-linked analysis argues Africa has “strategic abundance” in water and hydropower, urging stronger governance to turn projects like Grand Inga into real development outcomes. AI Data Sovereignty: At the AfDB meetings in Brazzaville, debate is heating up over health-data governance in the AI era—less about refusing cooperation, more about enforcement, trust, and infrastructure. AfDB Finance & Trade: New AfDB reporting highlights resilient African trade finance post-Covid, with unmet demand down nearly 10% (2019–2024) thanks to development finance support. Digital Entrepreneurship (Congo): UN ECA launched a regional push to boost women’s digital entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo, targeting 1,000+ women and policy capacity-building. Local Tech/Infrastructure: AfDB also backed Morocco with a record $1.5B package, including airport upgrades and municipal water, sanitation, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Ebola Response in Congo: Congo has widened Ebola testing across eastern provinces after lab results flagged about 260 positives, with suspected infections now over 1,000 and more than 220 deaths still under investigation—highlighting how cross-border travel and insecurity can blur the outbreak’s true scale. Digital Finance & Inclusion: At the African Banker Awards in Brazzaville, Co-operative Bank of Kenya won SME Bank of the Year and Safaricom-backed Ziidi Trader won Fintech of the Year, pointing to a shift from basic accounts toward financing and wealth-building access. Trade Finance Reality Check: The AfDB Trade Finance Report says Africa’s unmet trade finance demand hit $74–$92bn in 2024; banks intermediated only 23% of trade, and the gap could widen again if global disruptions persist. Digital Entrepreneurship for Women: The UN Economic Commission for Africa launched a regional project to boost women’s digital entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo, targeting 1,000+ women with training and policy support. Productive Power Focus: AfDB meetings spotlighted Mission 300’s push beyond household electricity toward productive use of energy—an angle echoed by Congo’s leadership. Wildlife & Health Watch: A study warns climate change may push venomous snakes closer to cities around the Congo Basin, raising bite risks.

AfDB Annual Meetings (Brazzaville): The African Development Bank says Africa’s trade finance is still short by $74bn–$92bn (2024), even as banks show resilience; without stronger support, the gap could widen again by 2027. Digital Entrepreneurship for Women: The UN Economic Commission for Africa launched a regional project to boost women’s digital business skills in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and Congo, targeting 1,000+ entrepreneurs and 200+ policymakers. Energy for Jobs, Not Just Light: At the same AfDB meetings, Congo’s Denis Sassou Nguesso and others pushed for electricity investment that powers agriculture and livelihoods, with Mission 300 shifting toward productive-use energy. Industrial Shift: Morocco overtook South Africa in the AfDB’s African Industrialisation Index 2025, citing export diversification and infrastructure. Tourism & Mobility: Ghana’s e-Visa launch aims to make entry easier for African travelers, linking digital access to trade and tourism growth. Tax Cooperation: Congo joined the African Tax Administration Forum as its 45th member, aiming to strengthen domestic resource mobilization. Wildlife Conservation: A one-armed western lowland gorilla rescued from snares in Congo, Lengui, has been filmed cradling a newborn in the wild.

Oil & Gas (Angola): Afentra, London-listed, was awarded operatorship of Angola’s Block KON 4 in the Kwanza basin, with plans to restart the legacy Quenguela Norte field using modern redevelopment and near-field exploration work. Digital Entrepreneurship (Congo): The UN Economic Commission for Africa launched a regional project to boost women’s digital entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo, targeting 1,000+ women with training and policy capacity-building for 200+ officials. Energy for Jobs (AfDB meetings): African leaders at the AfDB annual meetings in Brazzaville pushed for electricity access that powers livelihoods, including productive-use energy under Mission 300. Tax & Growth (Congo): The African Tax Administration Forum welcomed the Republic of Congo as its 45th member, aiming to strengthen tax cooperation and domestic resource mobilisation. Trade Finance (AfDB): A new AfDB report flags Africa’s trade finance gap at $74–$92bn in 2024 and warns it could exceed $100bn again if global tensions persist. Public Health (Ebola watch): Health authorities in India reported a suspected Ebola case linked to travel from Congo in Ahmedabad, while lab tests for a separate Uganda traveler in Bengaluru came back negative. Wildlife (Congo): A western lowland gorilla rescued from snares in Congo gave birth in the wild, offering a rare conservation success story. Civic Freedoms (Afrobarometer): Afrobarometer finds Africans strongly support media freedom and organising, but perceived freedom of speech is shrinking, with Congo-Brazzaville among the lowest scores.

Ebola & Border Health: A suspected Ebola case tied to travel from Congo triggered isolation and quarantine measures in India (Bengaluru/Ahmedabad), with officials stressing surveillance and lab testing while urging calm. Digital Inclusion: The UN Economic Commission for Africa launched a regional push to boost women’s digital entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo, targeting skills, finance, and policy support for 1,000+ women. Power for Jobs: At AfDB annual meetings in Brazzaville, Congo and other leaders argued electricity access must go beyond lighting—linking energy infrastructure to agriculture and livelihoods, with a Mission 300 productive-use focus. Trade Finance Gap: AfDB warned Africa’s trade finance shortfall hit $74–$92bn in 2024 and could widen again if banking conditions tighten, leaving SMEs hardest hit. Tax & Capacity Building: The African Tax Administration Forum welcomed the Republic of Congo as its 45th member, opening training and technical support for domestic resource mobilisation. Wildlife Conservation: A one-armed western lowland gorilla, Lengui, gave birth in the wild in Congo after earlier snare rescues and rehabilitation.